u/pinktaz2

I turned 39 yesterday, and my wife planned a birthday weekend that included a couple opportunities for us to "get dressed up" or go out "looking chic" - something I love but we never find the time to do.* As I planned various outfits in my head (my favorite past time)

I realized that most of where my mind was going were just sexier stylings of the same clothes I wear to work. I'm kind of struggling with this existentially.

As a young lawyer, I had one half of my closet that was work and one half that was play. In all aspects of my life I was known for my style, but there was next to no overlap between the two sides of my life. This was pre-covid, I was single and dating, going out a lot, I worked out 4-6x per week and looked like it; my play clothes were fashionable and slutty. On the other hand, I was at a more conservative firm, establishing myself in my career, and while I was always way more fashion forward than most people in my work community, I dressed more traditionally than I do now.

Fast forward, I'm a partner at a smaller boutique firm, happily settled down but with terrible work/life balance, I work out far less than I would like and look like it, and I've realized that there's no longer really any division in my dressing room. I have a few tops that I wouldn't wear to the office, but mostly I'm just going to button a few less buttons on that satin blouse, or swap a camisole for a bralette under the same sheer shirt I wore with a suit the week before.

And I don't know how to feel about this!! On the one hand, I feel authentic that I'm at a place in my career that I'm respected enough I can push the boundaries of what can be considered one of the least fashionable industries in a city known for having the most boring fashion. And I recognize that part of this is the direction that fashion has taken - suits and blazers are fashionable outside of the professional context. But I can't help but feel...idk how to describe it - a little old and boring?

Anyone else relate?

(*this ended up being hypothetical since I have celiac and had a gluten exposure on Friday, resulting of a weekend in bed ruminating - hence this post! 😂😭)

First time tret user - I've used various retinol creams before. I got the rx from the place I get botox (peachy) and it comes in a pump jar and the consistency is almost dry? It's not so dry it's separating or crumbly, just when you spread it's almost velvety finish. I'm having a hard time finding the words to describe, but it's not creamy like I was expecting so wondering if this is normal and I'm just inexperienced.